Pocket cuspidor



C. G. KRAUSS POCKET CUSPIDOR May 29, 1934.

Filed Feb. 13, 1934 Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN ()FFICE 8 Claims.

The invention relates to foldable pocket cuspidors, and has for its object to provide a device of this character comprising hingedly'connected members adapted to be folded onto each other and provided with means for holding a plurality of medicated sheets of material for expectorant purposes when the hingedly connected members are extended for use or when folded, one upon the other.

A further object is to provide a member on the outer side of one of the hingedly connected sections adjacent its hinging point, and adapted to be grasped by the operator for positioning the device adjacent the mouth of the operator and simultaneously opening the device as it is moved to operative position.

A further object is to provide a rather limber hinging connection between the sections whereby said sections will easily move by gravity to open position during the raising of the device and to provide single sheets of absorbent material extending entirely across the device and folded within the same, which material will assist the opening operation.

A further object is to provide the outer sides of the hingedly connected sections with weight means for assisting the gravity opening operation. Also to provide said weight means with finger engaging tabs adapted to be grasped by the operator during the manipulation of the device.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it

being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showing the gripping thereof by the operator for lifting the same from a bed or table and for the opening operation.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device in open position.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the device showing the same supported in opening position by the fingers of the operator gripping one of the tabs and engaging the under side of the device.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates flat members formed from any kind of material, for instance heavy compressed card board or celluloid or any material which may be medicated or sterilized, and which members are hingedly connected by a hinge 2 in a manner whereby they may fold onto each other as shown in Figure 1 or be positioned in open position for use as shown in Figures 2 and 3; Hinge 2 is preferably formed from a relatively pliable material, however if the device is made of metal a conventional form of hinge may be used, so that when the operator grasps one of the operating tabs with the device shown in Figure 1 and'simultaneously lifts and inverts one of the members 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, the other member will hingedly move by means of gravity to the open position shown in Figures 2 and 3 so that the operator can expectorate on the upper sheet of paper 4 held in the device. As the device assumes the open position the thumb 5 of the operator will engage and support the under side of one of the hinged members 1 while the forefinger 6 and other fingers 7 will cooperate with the other member 1 for maintaining the members 1 in a horizontal plane while the device is in use. Gripping tabs 3 are preferably formed from flexible material so they may assume a position in engagement with the outer sides of the members 1 when the device is in folded position, thereby allowing the device to be placed in the pocket of the operator as the patient moves around. The device is adapted to be used by hospital patients while in bed or otherwise and is particularly adapted for use by consumptives and the sputum deposited on the upper sheet is folded in the upper sheet and is destroyed.

The outer corners of the hinged members 1 are provided with triangularly shaped paper holding members 8, under which the corners 9 of the sheets of paper are held in a manner whereby each sheet can be removed as utilized and folded into a compact package to be destroyed.

It has been found that by weighting the outer sides of the hinged members 1 that the opening operation is facilitated, and to accomplish this result the members 10 are provided which are adhesively connected at 11 to the members 1 and formed integral with the tabs 3, which tabs extend through the struck out straps 12, struck out from the members 1, and which straps brace the tabs at the point of strain thereon. It will be noted that the sheets of material 4 extend across the hinging point 2, consequently when the sheets are folded at the hinging point and the 105 device is raised for use, said sheets will tend to assist in the initial movement of the members to their open position.

Fro-m the above it will be seen that a portable foldable spittoon is provided which may be easily folded and placed in a pocket, and one which will hold a plurality of sheets of papers which may be removed from the device as used for destruction purposes. It will also be seen that the device may be easily and quickly manipulated, and it will easily and readily assume an open horizontal position when raised to a position for use. A further decided advantage in positioning the tabs adjacent the hinging point is that the device maybe supported by the fingers as pressure is applied to the upper sheet for the folding and removal operation.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A pocket spittoon comprising hingedly connected members foldable onto each other, means for holding a plurality of sheets of material for successive use on said hingedly connected members, said hingedly connected members when open for use forming means for supporting the plurality of sheets of material in upwardly disposed positions.

2. A pocket spittoon comprising hingedly connected members foldable onto each other, means for removably holding sheets of material on said members for successive use in a manner whereby when the members are folded onto each other portions of said sheets of material will be folded onto each other and a finger engaging member carried by the outer side of one of the hingedly connected members.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the finger engaging member is disposed adjacent the hinging point of the hinged members whereby when the device is in folded position and is lifted for use the other hinged member will move to open position by gravity.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the finger engaging member is formed from flexible material and is secured to one of the hinged members adjacent the hinging point thereof.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the finger engaging members are carried by each hinged member adjacent the hinging point of the members.

6. A device as set forth in claim 2 including weight means carried by the hinged members.

'7. A device as set forth in claim 2 including weight members carried by the outer sides of the hinged members, flexible tabs carried by the weight members and disposed adjacent the hinged connection between the hinged members.

8. A portable foldable pocket spittoon comprising hingedly connected sections adapted to receive sheets of absorbent material, flexible tabs carried by said foldable hingedly connected sections on the outer sides thereof and struck-out straps carried by the hingedly connected sections and arching'the tabs and forming the reinforcing means therefor.

CATHERINE G. KRAUSS. 

